Advanced Alien Civilizations Could Be Living In Galaxy Clusters, and Humanity Would Do Well To Follow
by Nicole Arce June 26, 2018 (techtimes.com)
• The head of Harvard University’s Astronomy Department, Abraham Loeb, has published a paper recommending that humans develop technology to relocate our civilization into a dense ‘galaxy cluster’ that will stand the best chance of maintaining it’s gravity and stay together as a cluster as the rest of the universe pulls away and spreads out too far to be of any use.
• In the 1990s, scientists discovered that the universe was expanding at an exponential rate, being pulled apart by invisible ‘dark energy’ that was stronger than gravity. By the time the universe is 138 billion years old, (it is currently less than 14 billion years old) all objects in space will have moved away far from each other to the point that they are virtually inaccessible.
• Galaxy clusters are groups of thousands of galaxies formed 10 billion years ago that are held together by the mutual gravitational attraction. Loeb believes this gravity is strong enough to resist the expansion of the universe. The nearest candidate for us is the Virgo Cluster which can be found toward the Virgo constellation 50 million light-years away (depicted in image above). The Virgo Cluster contains a thousand times more matter than the Milky Way.
• Advanced alien species may have already begun migrating to these rich galaxy clusters. Civilizations nestled in galaxy clusters would have access to solar energy sources for trillions of years. Loeb says it may be best for humans follow to suit. “It would be beneficial for us to reside in the company of as many alien civilizations as possible with whom we could share technology,” says Loeb.
• Loeb has worked with theoretical physicist Freeman Dyson who thinks that humans need to develop a way to pull in stars and concentrate them around the Earth to withstand the force of expansion. Dan Hooper of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory has proposed that advanced civilizations could use energy from stars to push these stars toward the center of their civilizations.
• Loeb’s idea accomplishes the same thing by going to an energy-rich galaxy cluster, rather than clustering stars around our own planet which could prove difficult. Likewise, the best place to currently find advanced extraterrestrial civilizations may be at the heart of dense galaxy clusters.
The best place to find advanced extraterrestrial civilizations may be at the heart of matter-rich galaxy clusters, according to a top Harvard astronomer.
Harvard University’s Abraham Loeb, head of the Astronomy Department, says aliens could have traveled to galaxy clusters in preparation for the impending isolation that could happen to intelligent civilizations as the universe rapidly expands far beyond its current size.
In a paper published in the pre-print server ArXiv, Loeb describes how advanced alien civilizations could have congregated in clusters of thousands of galaxies akin to the Milky Way, similar to how Earth’s ancient peoples have flocked to the rivers and lakes.
Preparing For The Expansion Of The Universe
In the 1990s, scientists discovered that the universe was expanding at an exponential rate, contrary to the popular theory at the time that gravity will eventually cause the universe to collapse in on itself.
This has led to the theory of dark energy, a mysterious force believed to comprise three-fourths of the entire universe. Experts theorize that dark energy may be responsible for the expansion of the universe against the inward pull of gravity.
By the time the universe turns 138 billion years old, dark energy will have become the most dominant force in the cosmos and all objects in space will have moved away far from each other that they are virtually inaccessible.
This applies to the Local Group as well, the group of galaxies containing the Milky Way, Andromeda, and all their satellites.
Assuming that humanity will still be around when this happens, Loeb recommends it is best to prepare for such drastic isolation by migrating to galaxy clusters.
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